Acetylene-gas generator.



W. E. SHREFFLER.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

mm ML E ,m NF M WW1 WF m m M W \m a APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1908.

%W/%NESSES \H W. E. SHREFFLER. AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. APPLIOATION. FILED JULY 2, 1908.

909,698, Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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QlgNESSES INVENTOH W MLLIAM E. EHHEFFLER M BY 'M m 3.5M

ATTORNEY THE mamas PETER; C9,, WASHINGTON. n. c.

WILLIAM E. SHREFFLER, OF MULBERRY, INDIANA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed. July 2, 1908. Serial No. 441,626.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM E. Srmnrr- LER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mulberry, in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gas-generators, or more particularly to that class of devices employed for the generation and storage of acetylene gas by the decomposition of calcium carbid.

The object contemplated by this invention is the provision of means for automatically generating and storing gas in a facile and economical manner.

To this accomplishment of the recited object and others coordinate therewith the preferred embodiment of the invention resides in that construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

In said drawings :-Figure I is a longitudinal sectional view of the complete apparatus, and Fig. II is a transverse sectional view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Primarily, my invention embraces a cooperative generator and a gasometer or storage tank. The generator comprises in its construction a tank 1, and a bell 2, the latter being provided with pairs of guide rollers 3 and being vertically movable on the standards 4, which are fixedly secured in any convenient way adjacent the bottom of the tank 1. Arranged centrally of the bell 2 and projecting to either side of the top thereof is the inclosure 5 of any desired cross sectional contour. This inclosure is designed to accommodate a basket or other suitable carbid containing device 6, the same to be connected to the lower terminal of the depending rod 7, which is screw threaded at points 8 and 9 for consecutive engagement with the complementary screw threaded portion of the removable cover 10 of the said inclosure 5, these parts being readily disassembled when occasion requires the removal of the basket and the substitution therein of fresh carbid. To control the intermittent subjection of the carbid to the water contained in tank 1, which in an obvious manner defines a seal, I prefer to employ certain means which will accomplish this result without any appreciable loss. To this end I utilize at the lower terminal of the inclosure 5 a hinged door 11 projecting slightly beyond one side of the said inclosure and having suitably attached at this point a depending weight 12 which insures the maintenance of a closed position of the door relative to the inclosure. However, as the bell 2 gravitates the weight 12 will contact with the bottom of the tank 1, thereby releasing the weight from the extended terminal of the door 11 and permitting the latter to open and in this way subject the carbid in the basket to the decomposing action of the water. Communication between the bell 2 and the inclosure 5 is established by any suitable by-way connection such, for example, as 13, and the said cover carries a vertically extending dome 14:, the function of which will be hereinafter set forth.

The gasometer is constituted by a tank 15 and bell 16, the latter carrying guide rollers 17 which work on the vertically extending standards 18. Generally speaking,

the relations assumed by the bell and the tank are relatively the same as the arrangement of the corresponding component portions of the generator, and a seal is likewise formed. The generator and the gasometer are connected by a suitable induction pipe 19 the terminal portions thereof being vertically disposed within the bell of the generator and gasometer respectively and are in alinement or registration with the dome let, and dome 20. The service pipe 21 oocupies a similar position with respect to the dome 20 of the bell 16. At any suitable point along the horizontal extent of the induction pipe 19 I incorporate a gate valve 22, of any preferred type. Having one dista l end connected to the gate valve 22 and its other. proximal end attached to a chain or rope 23, as at 24, is the vertically disposed rod 25, the upper distal end thereof being provided with a plurality of apertures 26, through the medium of which I may attain the desired adjustment of the longitudinally arranged rod 27, the latter being hingedly connected to the upright 28, secured to the tank 1 of the generator, at 29, and projecting from this'point of connection so as to be in line for engagement with the bell 2, in a manner which will be presently explained. To facilitate the movement of the chain 23 I have provided a pulley 30 which is loosely'inounted on the outer terminal of the laterally extending bar 31 of the bell 16.

With the foregoing explication the op eration of the apparatus will now be 'de scribed, it being assumed that the maximum quantity of gas is contained in the bell 16 of the gasometer. As the gas is being consumed the volume in the gasometer decreases and the bell 16 descends until suflicient pull is exerted by the weight '32, thus forcing the rod 25 downwardly and at the same time imparting thereto a slight oscillation. By

this method the gate valve 22 is opened and ting the calcium carbid held in the basket 6 to be completely saturated with water, and consequently the generation of acetylene gas. As the generation of gas continues the inverted cover ascends until the basket is raised out of the water, the door of the inclosure being closed, and the production of gas ceasing. This simple but effective proc ess of generating gas by means of intermittently and automatically controlling the movement of the carbid basket with relation to the water is continued through the above steps as more gas is required. If at any time it is desired to remove the decomposed contents of the basket it is only necessary to unscrew the rod 7 and raise the same until the screw threads 9, thereof, are placed in communication with the complementary screw threads 8 of the cover 10, the latter being detached in any suitable way from the inclosure 5.

In practice I find it impossible to prevent altogether the formation of gas from calcium carbid, even for sometime subsequent to the expulsion of the water, this material, in a sense, being deliquescent or having a strong afiinity for moisture, and in order to preclude accident due to an accumulation of the gas under pressure, I have designed the rod (27), which is in operative relation to the gate valve (22), as a safety release eX- pedient the terminal portion thereof being adapted to be engaged by the top of the hell (2). Should the generation of the gas be prolonged sufficiently, the surplus gas thus evolved will force the hell (2) into engagement with the terminal of the rod (27) and push the rod (25) downwardly, thus opening the gate valve (22) and permitting said gas to pass through pipe (19) into the bell (16),

and be stored therein unless this after generation is sufficient to raise the bell (16) so as to expose the aperture (33)., when the gas will escape. V i

In both the generator and the gasometer I prefer to employ domes 14 and 20 which insures the productionof an excellent quality of acetylene gas.

Previous to passing the gas from the gasometer the same is subjected to any suitable filtering process, a conventional form of cotton filter being indicated by '36 in the e more, it will be observed'that I have pro duced a simple, eifective, and entirely auto- I niatic gas generating and storing apparatus. It should be understood that in its broader aspects my invention comprehends the employment not'only of the various means described, but of equivalent 'means for per forming the recited functions. While the arrangement shown is thought, at the present time, to be preferable, I desire to reserve the right to effect such modifications and variations thereof as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, is: V

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a generator and a gasometer ofmeans common to and adapted to be actuated by said generator and gasometer for sequentially controlling the production of gas in and the liberation of surplus gas I also prefer to connect the servfrom the generator, and the supply of gas said bells for sequentially controlling the production of gas in and the liberation of surplus gas from the generator, and the sup ply of gas to the gasometer. I

4:. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a generator-tank and a gasometer-tank, a bell in each, and means adapted to be automatically actuated by said generator and gasometer for sequentially controlling the production of gas in and the liberation of surplus gas from the generator, and the supply of gas to the gasometer.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a generator-tank and a gasometer-tank, a bell in each, and means common to and adapted to be automatically actuated by said generator and gasometer for sequentially controlling the production of gas in and the liberation of surplus gas from the generator, and the supply of gas to the gasometer.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a generator-tank and a gasometer-tank, a bell in each, and adjustable means adapted to be actuated by said bells for sequentially controlling the production of gas in and the liberation of surplus gas from the generator, and the supply of gas to thegasometer.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a generator-tank and a gasometer-tank, a bell in each, a gate valve, and means associated with said valve and adapted to be actuated by said bells for sequentially controlling the production of gas in and the liberation of surplus gas from the generator, and the supply of gas to the gasometer.

8. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a generator-tank and a gasometer-tank, a bell in each, a gate valve, and adjustably connected levers associated with said valve and adapted to be actuated by said bells for sequentially controlling the production of gas in and the liberation of surplus gas from the generator, and the supply of gas to the gasometer.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a generator and a gasometer and a communicating connection therefor, of a gate valve mounted on said connection, a vertically disposed rod connected to said gate valve, a pulley mounted on said gasometer, a weighted chain passing over said pulley and connected to the proximal end of said rod, a horizontally extending member adjustably connected to the distal end, said rod having its other terminal end, said rod having its other terminal hingedly connected and projecting in line for engagement with the movable part of the generator, these connections serving to control the production and admission of gas to the gasometer and as a safety release device.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. SHREFFLER.

WVitnesses:

MARTIN S. STECKEL, LUTHER MARTZ. 

